Volleyball: Mukantambara in Bulgaria for professional trials

Rwanda Revenue Authority and U23 Women national team captain Seraphine ‘Baby’ Mukantambara is in Bulgaria for professional trials with first division club, Shumen VC. The 22-year old started training with Shumen last week as the club assesses her to see if she fits in their system. If she impresses during the trials and given a professional contract, Mukantambara will start featuring for the club in January. She travelled to Sofia after guiding Rwanda U23 to a third place finish at the 2016 Africa U23 Championships staged in Nairobi, Kenya. Confirming her trials, the RRA left-attacker said: “I am doing everything possible during this period to improve my level, the club is taking care of me, my dream is to play professional volleyball.” In December last year, Mukantambara joined Turkish second division league side Elazig IL Ozel for a three-month trial, but failed to earn a permanent contract, and decided to return home. In 2014, the Rwanda international was named the Most Valuable player (MVP) at the U19 Africa Youth Olympic Games held in Ghana, which was an unprecedented achievement in the history of Rwandan volleyball. If she secures a contract with the Bulgarian side, Mukantambara, who is a regular for both the junior and senior national teams, will become the first Rwandan female volleyball player to ply her trade at the professional level. Some of the male Rwandan volleyball stars who play in professional ranks include; Lawrence Yakan Guma (Oita Miyoshi club of Japan), Nelson Murangwa (Danish side, Middelfart Volleyball Club);,Placide Madison Sibomana (Al-Gharafa Sports Club, Qatar), Christophe Mukunzi (VC Marek Union-Ivkoni, Bulgaria) and Fred Musoni, who joined Finland’s first division side Liiga Riento last year. editorial@newtimes.co.rw